For most departments the written is pass/fail. Learning how to take a firefighter interview, which is like no other, is the real secret in gaining your badge. Don't waste any opportunities by not being ready. I've seen so called bad test takers quickly turn it around by gaining the right skills to take their oral boards.

I agree with you all. CaptBob...the written places you depending on your score and adding bound points (military, residency, degrees, etc) however I do agree that the interview can move you up or down.

Very few departments I have taken a written test for have just been pass/fail. That is out dated information. I usually score 85% or better and have not gotten an interview because I didn't score high enough. Also I have taken tests in multiple states so it is not only like that here in California.

The whole pass/fail score you are talking about is misleading. Someone would take it as if a department who set a passing score of 75% would guarantee them an interview. A lot of departments will go a step further and also throw in they will only accept the top X amount of scores even though the passing score was below that.

The whole pass/fail score you are talking about is misleading. Someone would take it as if a department who set a passing score of 75% would guarantee them an interview. A lot of departments will go a step further and also throw in they will only accept the top X amount of scores even though the passing score was below that.

True. But you would not be considered to be part of the group going forward unless you first pass the writtten. The simple fact is you're not in charge of the process. The agency runs the show. It's an expense hiring process and the agency will decide how they want to run it. This is not a democracy.